Franklin Square’s Holiday Festival kicks off this evening and runs through the end of the year. In addition to the free nightly light show featuring 50,000 lights blinking, shimmering and otherwise dancing, there will also be food and drink throughout the holiday season.

Seriously, I know that people like drinking outside and that, for years, we had to fight just to see one or two beer gardens open for the summer. But now it seems like these things are opening/popping up/changing location every weekend, and pretty soon we’re going to get to the point where there’s one on every block.

Not saying this is a bad thing, just… Man, how things have changed.

Anyway, there are two new beer gardens for you to explore this weekend. And the first one also comes with sushi.

It’s been a few months since we first heard about SkyGarten and tonight at 5 p.m. it will open its (elevator) doors for its grand opening. If you head to the top of the tower on the 51st floor of 3 Logan Square (1717 Arch Street), you can experience the world’s highest beer garden. Finally, you can now combine the thrills of extreme heights and drinking.

The beer garden is curated by the team at Brauhaus Schmitz and covers 3,000 square feet inside and outside the building.

The PHS South Street Pop-Up Beer Garden officially opened last Wednesday, but did so by the skin of its teeth. The Khyber Pass Pub backed beer garden saw the last contractors leave the garden just a half-hour before the first guests arrived. But by Saturday, things were humming along. The draft cocktails were pouring, the kitchen was popping out Khyber Pass Pub Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches and vegan meatball sandwiches. The benches were packed and everyone seemed to be having a great time on our several visits.

This week the beer garden begins its full programming with Margarita Mondays and more.

A plan for the Philadelphia Zoo’s new beer garden, The Watering Hole, which will open in late June or early July. (Courtesy Philadelphia Zoo)

You can now drink at the zoo.

The Philadelphia Zoo began selling alcohol at two stands, Tiger Terrace and Eagle’s Roost, on Memorial Day weekend. But that’s not all: The zoo is planning a late-June or early-July launch for a beer garden, The Watering Hole, which will be adjacent to Eagle’s Roost.

Amy Shearer, the zoo’s Chief Marketing Officer, says the reversal of a longstanding policy came after talking with visitors and Philadelphia Zoo members over the past year. “We talked to our guests and members all throughout the year in many platforms,” she tells Philadelphia magazine. “Through all of these conversations, one thing that our guests had been largely vocal about is that, ‘Hey, the zoo is so great for all ages and families as well but there’s some things that we adults want, too.’”

Outside alcohol remains banned at the park, but beer and wine will not be confined to the sections where they are sold. Guests will be free to roam the park drinking the glass of beer or wine they’ve purchased from one of the zoo’s stands. Alcohol sales are being handled by its food vendor, Aramark, which has a liquor license for the zoo property. Read more »

Kennett Square is the next ‘burb getting in on the beer garden game. This Friday, June 3rd, The Creamery pop-up beer garden will open.

The beer garden is located in the completely revamped creamery which had been empty and in disrepair for years. Owner Michael Bontrager collaborated with Philadelphia’s Groundswell Design Group (PHS Pop Up Gardens, Talula’s Garden Spruce Street Harbor Park) to turn the site into “lush, open pop-up space” featuring the beer garden, performance venues, garden courtyards and local art.